Inside the garage, the truck waits. Cherry red, polished, the kind of vintage beauty you’d see in an old country postcard.
“Cas…” I breathe.“She’s perfect.”
He grins, proud.“Knew you’d think so. We’ll haul her to the patch tomorrow. You can dress her up however you want, blankets, pumpkins, the works.”
I can already see it in my mind’s eye: the truck bed piled high with plaid and pumpkins, golden light spilling across the ranch, families posing, kids giggling. My chest warms.
When we’re done, Cas doesn’t rush us back. Instead, he nods toward his front porch.“Coffee?”
“Sure.”
I follow him inside, my breath catching at the beauty of his home. The house is warm, uncluttered, cozy in a way that makes me want to sink into a corner and stay. Wide-plank floors stretch toward a stone fireplace; a stack of logs waits like a promise. Family photos line the mantel: Cas as a barefoot kid with scraped knees, shoulder to shoulder with his brothers; one of Lily holding a tiny Cas with a mess of hair that matches his now. A faded rodeo poster hangs in a frame; a pair of muddy boots sit neatly by the door. The place feels lived-in and loved.
On the porch, he drapes a blanket over my shoulders before handing me a steaming mug.
“Thanks.” I look up at his handsome face, unable to hide my smile.
We sit with Max flopped at our feet, the lake stretching out in front of us. The breeze is cool, carrying the sharp bite of late September, but it feels good. Cleansing. For a while, we just sip and watch the water shift under the autumn sky. With Cas, I don’t feel like I have to fill the silence. And I really like that.
???
The next day, the red truck steals the show at the Pumpkin Patch. Families line up, kids climbing into the bed with pumpkins bigger than their heads.
I snap a thousand photos, laughing as I go.
“Penny!”
I turn and find Mia running toward me, Summer right behind her, trying to keep up.
“Hey there, sweetie! Are you here to model for me?” I scoop her up and kiss her sweet face.
“Mommy said you’ll take a beautiful family picture of us because we’re a family now. Do you understand what that means, Penny?” Her little voice could light up a room.
I smile softly, feeling my chest tighten. “It means we take care of each other, always.”
“I love that.” I tickle her until she giggles, then set her down.
“Something went wrong with nature when it decided that children should have more energy than their mothers,” Summer laughs as she joins us.
“She’s a hurricane of cuteness.”
Summer watches her daughter climb into the truck bed to grab a teddy bear.“She’s my reason for being, and the reason for my brain fog.”
We both laugh. Then Summer’s expression softens.“Penny, I wanted to ask you something, but please feel free to say no.”
“Of course.”
She hesitates while steadying Mia.“I really need some time off between the shop and Mia taking all my attention. I could do with some adult conversation without being interrupted by clients or little pumpkins.” She taps Mia’s nose with a smile.“So, what about a girls’night? Every other Thursday. I close shop early on Thursdays anyway, and Grace already said she’d babysit. What do you say?”
Excitement bubbles in my chest.“I say yes. Where?”
“Midnight Rodeo? A lot of clients tell me it’s the place to be. I’ve never been, but we could grab drinks, dance if we feel like it, just… unwind. Trust me, Penny, you need this as much as I do.”
I laugh.“That’s Dex’s Bar! I’ve been meaning to go there! And yes you’re probably right. I do need a night out”
“Good. It’s settled then. Every other Thursday, Midnight Rodeo. It’ll be our thing. Our own tradition.”
“That sounds perfect.” I smile and lift my camera.“Now get up there with Mia so I can photograph my two favorite customers.”
